y^'^^' ai:L^^2^i:^ 



/-7^- 



,^:^^t^-^. .^'^^''>^^^:::^^-^^ 



^A' 



y{yy?tje.<^, 




o: 




Glass 

Book r\Ji\±iJ^ 



\ 



\ 



iJ 



A- 



/^ C^-:^x*y^ ^ , 



COL ROBERT MAGAW 
The Defender of Fort Washington 

Major in Colonel William Thompson's ''Battalion 
of Pennsylvania Riflemen" 

The first troops from the South to reach Boston 

Colonel of the Fifth Pennsylvania Regiment 

Assigned by Washington to defend Fort Washington 

"To the Adjutant General of the British army, — Sir, if I rightly under- 
stand the purport of your message from General Howe, communicated to 
Col. Swoope, this post is to be immediately surrendered or the garrison put 
to the sword. I rather think it is a mistake than a settled resolution in Gen. 
Howe to act a part so unworthy of himself and the British nation. But give 
me leave to assure his excellency, that actuated by the most glorious cause 
that mankind ever fought in, I am determined to defend the post to the 
very last extremitv." 



Paper read before the Hamilton Library Association, 
Carlisle, Pa. — The Historical Society of Cum- 
berland County, Pennsylvania 

BY 

PROFESSOR CHARLES F. HIMES. 




HAMILTON LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 
1915 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Loss of Ft. Washington and the flower of the Patriot 
army — The center of the Confederated Colonies 

broken 1 

Rejoicing in England — Collapse of the "Rebellion" 

in sight 3 

Effect on the Colonies 4 

Robert Magaw, Esq., and Military measures in Cum- 
berland County after Lexington 5 

"First Battalion of Pennsylvania Riflemen" under 
William Thompson, Colonel, Robert Magaw, 

Major, off for Boston 10 

Routes and incidents of the March from Carlisle to 

Boston 16 

Captain William Hendricks 18 

Observations by the way — Sensational notices of the 

Riflemen 20 

A captured Rifleman — How he served his country . . 24 

The Riflemen petted and spoiled 25 

Promotions and changes in the Riflemen 27 

Digging at Ft. Washington 30 

British fleets and Hessians — Retreat from Long Island 31 

York Island abandoned — Fort Washington to be held 34 

War ships pass the Fort and Obstructions 37 

Colonel Magaw appointed to defend Ft. Washington . 39 

Preliminary movements 40 

Investment — Assault — Surrender — Margaret Corbin 42 

Prisoner on Long Island — Marriage — Exchange ... 50 

Return to Carlisle 52 

Death — Burial in the "Old Graveyard" — "Funeral 

most respectable ever seen" there 54 

Children 68 

References 59 



FIRST TROOPS TO ARRIVE AT BOSTON. 

According to Capt. H. M. M. Richards — Proceedings of 
the Pennsylvania-German Societ}?, Vol. XVII — Capt. Nagel's 
company, from Reading, arrived at camp at Cambridge, July 
i8, before Doudel's company, which, according to the same 
authority, arrived at Cambridge July 25, at i P. M. Compare 
p. 14; p. 15, August 18, undoubtedly error for July 18. 

Washington's order to magaw and 

REPORT TO congress. 

The precise words of General Washington, over his own 
signature, to Colonel Magaw, entrusting the defense of Fort 
Washington to him, seem to the writer to allow of more discre- 
tion on the part of that officer than might perhaps be inferred 
from the words used by General Washington in his Report to 
Congress. In it he says Colonel Magaw was left in that com- 
mand, "and orders given to defend it to the last;" and after- 
wards in the same report, he says that he wrote to General Greene, 
who had command on the Jersey side, "directing him to retain 
or evacuate the post as he should think best, and revoking the 
absolute order to Colonel Magaw to defend the post to the last 
extremity." These last words were not in his order to Ma- 
gaw, and seem to follow the language of Magaw 's reply to 
Howe. 

In this connection it seems proper to correct a statement, 
p. 48, sometimes made, that Washington, in the Report al- 
luded to, called Magaw's reply a * "spirited reply," the exact 
language in the Report being "a spirited refusal." 

ADDRESS AT DEDICATION OF MONUMENT- 

The address quoted, p. 49, was not by Judge Steele, but 
by Walter B. Logan, President of the Empire State Society of 
the American Revolution. 

DATE OF DEATH OF MAGAW. 

The date given — p. 54 — January 6, as that of the death of 
Col. Magaw, is that of his funeral. His death probably oc- 
curred on Sunday, three days earlier. 

The date of the death of his wife, Marietta, should be 
April i8, instead of August 18. 



Colonel Robert Magaw, The Defend' 
er Of Fort Washington. 

By Professor Charles F. Kimes. 



An account relating to some important 
historic events in the early days of the 
War for Independence, more particular- 
ly of the part in them taken by Cumber- 
land County ^ Pennsylvania. 

Bead before the Hamilton Library Asso- 
ciation — The Historical Society of Cum- 
berland County. 



LOSS OF FORT WASHIGTON — THE CENTRE OF 
THE CONFEDERATED COLONIES BROKEN. 



The capture of Fort Washington, on 
the Hudson, now well within the limits 
of New York City, with its garrison of 
3000 men and its military stores by the 
forces of King George, November 1776, 
may well be regarded in all its aspects as 
the greitest disaster of the War for In- 
dependence. The loss of the garrison 
was not simply a loss of 3000 men, but of 
the flower of the little patriot army, 
which, indeed, outside of it, could 
hardly be called an army at all, but 
rather a loose, heterogeneous aggrega- 
tion of undisciplined men; and even 
that rapidly dissolving by expiration of 
terms of enlistment. 

Hardly second to the loss of men was 
the loss of munitions of war, which had 
been collected by a supreme effort, and 
included 40 cannon. But to this loss 
must be added the still more serious one 
of cannon and munitions, resulting from 
the immediate and hasty abandonment 
of Fort Lee, on the opposite bank of the 
Hudson, necessitated by the surrender 
of Fort Washington. 



But even more i3epres:iiog to the hopes 
of the patriots than the loss of men and 
munitions, and the whole series of dis- 
asters leading up to the fall of Fort 
Washington, was the strateg:ic loss of 
that point on the Hudson. New York, 
the natural str .tegic, as well as com- 
mercial and political center of the fed- 
erated colonies, had just fallen into the 
hands of the King's forces, and with the 
loss of Forts Washington and Lee, 
which were regarded us commanding 
the Hudson, the last hope of preventing 
the passage of the British fleet up and 
down that river at will was gone. On 
the control of the Hudson, Congress had 
insisted by resolution, and by positive 
command to Washington, even to the 
overruling of his military judgement. 
The people of the colonies had, indeed, 
come to regard the control of that river 
as absolutely necessary to the effective 
military co operation of New England 
and the more southern colonies. 

The center was now broken. The 
Confederation was cut in two. When it 
is remembered too, that the Declaration 
of Independence was then little more 
than four months old, and that this was 
the first campaign after that defiance to 
King George, it can be imagined what a 
staggering, if not crushing blow it must 
have been to the hopes of the colonists. 
A reader of hiaiory, unaware of the ulti- 
mate result, when he reached that point 
would regard the cause of the infant 
nation as hopelessly lost; or as it was 
put by an early historian, "a paragraph 
would have closed some small section in 
the history of England treating of the 
American troubles. 



rbjoicing in eng1,and. collapse op thk 
"rebellion" in sight. 

Within the British lines, from the 
commanding oflScer down to the hum- 
blest private, all seemed to feel that, 
although the "old fox" had not been 
bagged, there was little left for them to 
do, but to finish up the minor details of 
the conflict. Even after the battle of 
Long Island, a swift sailing ship had 
already been dispatched to carry the 
news to George III, that the war of the 
American rebellion was practically over. 
There was great rejoicing in Eagland on 
the arrival of the news, and the seem- 
ingly decisive victory was celebrated in 
many ways. 

Several years ago I was interested in 
looking over the newspaper files of that 
day in London; and a few extricts will 
serve to show the feeling there. Thus 
a letter from Glasgow to a London paper, 
Jan. 6th, 1777, says: "There is little 
talked of here but the fate of America; 
it is considered already conqured. Two 
private letters arrived here yesterday 
night importing that Gen'l. Howe had 
sent one part of his army to subdue 
Rhode Island, and the othsr to reduce 
Philadelphia. The merchmts here have 
a good brisk trade, and some of them 
are amassing goods to export to America 
as soon as the peace is settled." Again: 
"On Monday, Jan. 6th, the Mayor, 
Aldermen, and Gentlemen of Appleby 
assembled at the King's Head to cele- 
brate the success of bis Majesty's army 
in America. A haunch of venison dis- 
tinguished the feast, whicli in other 
respects also was elegant and plentiful. 
The company consisted of gentlemen of 
all parties, who concurred iu their state- 



mecit on this occasion, ami deaionstrated 
the true spirit of rational Enghshmen. 
Various toasts were given expressive of 
the same just ideas and honest feehng, 
and a general procession was made in 
the evening to the bonfire at the Low 
Cross, where the Gentlemen drank his 
Majesty's health, and treated a numer- 
ous circle with liquors for the same 
purpose. The ringing of beils, the dis- 
charge of guns, and the acclamations of 
the people concluded the festival." 

Another account states: "Lord Corn- 
wallis has got to Brunswick, on the high 
road to Philadelphia, and means to beat 
the quarters of the General Congress; 
but I fancy when he gets there he will 
find that flock of unclean birds have 
become birds of passage and have 
winged their way to a more southern 
clime." The London Advertiser of 
Jan. 11, 1777, says: "3y recent and 
authentic accounts from America we 
can assure our readers that the greatest 
consternation prevails among the leaders 
of *he rebbllion." "It was an electric 
shoi-k to Congress." "Hancock was 
seiz( d with an attack of apoplexy, a 
disorder akin to strangulation, and 
Adams is literally at bay in the Massa- 
chusetts." "Those who are enemies to 
America are all cock-a-hoop about this 
intelligence." "It is impossible but 
that peace must be the consequence of 
our successes " 

EFFECT ON THE COLONIES. 

In the Colonies, as the news passed 
from town to town, village to village, 
and to the solitary farm houses and 
cabins by express riders of that day, the 
deep gloom and depression can be 
imagined. Some, indeed many, fell in 



with the overtures of parJon offered bv 
the British general, and among' theai 
were men of poUtical prominence. But 
with most, if there was a feeling aliin to 
despondence, it soon gave way to a 
manifestation of more earnest resolve 
to renewed efforts. 

The event of course called for investi- 
gation, for inquiry as to the cause of the 
disaster, as to who was to blame, who 
had failed in the performance of duty. 
The discussion was long and acrimonious, 
and filled with personalities, in which 
Washington came in for a share, but 
with the perspective we have now, of 
150 years, the common consensus is, at 
least, that the brave but unfortunate 
commander. Col. Robert Magaw, in 
whom we are particularly interested, 
had failed neither in duty nor military 
skill; and the increased confidence in 
the leadership of the great commander, 
whose transceudant military ability and 
true greatness of character never shone 
more conspicuously than in the face of 
disaster and the most discouraging ;on- 
ditioDS, was evinced by the complef i en- 
trustment to him for the future, of the 
military direction of affairs, which up to 
this time had been too largely shared, if 
not dictated by a Committee of Congress, 

COLONEL ROBERT MAGAW. 

The chief reason for the selection of 
this event of highest military and polit- 
ical, as well as dramatic interest, for a 
paper before this Association is because 
it has a special interest for us as citizens 
of Cumberland county, for Colonel 
Magaw, to whom Washington had 
directly entrusted the honorable and 
responsible duty of holding that post. 



after the main arruy had withdrawn 
from New York laiaad, was n leading 
citizen of Carlisle, was among the very 
first in the State to respond to the call 
from Boston after Lexington, and, like a 
true Carlisler.he returned to the Bor- 
ough, resumed his place as a citizen, and 
here he ended his days, and here he was 
laid to rest with unusual honors, in which 
all classes of the community took part. 

It is also proper to state, however, 
that the paper is not intended to present 
a formal biographical sketch of Col, 
Magaw, nor the details of the move- 
ments and counter movements that led 
up to the capitulation, but it is simply 
proposed, in the time at our disposal, to 
group around the central figure and the 
event associated facts and incidents 
often of more than local interest. 

In the interest of historic accuracy 
attention will be called to some errors of 
statement found in some works of high 
authority, and consequently frequently 
repeated. Like many others prominent 
in the history of the county, Robert 
Magaw was not a native of this county. 
I mention this particularly, because he 
is so frequently put down as a native of 
Cumberland county. Thus Wing (Hist. 
Cumb'd. Co. p. 76,) calls him a native of 
Cumberland county, whilst in the same 
work (p. 159), the writer on the Bar of 
Cumberland county calls him an Irish- 
man. In the "History of Cumberland 
and Adams Counties," the statements 
of Wing are repeated. In an account of 
highest value, perhaps the most com- 
plete and accurate of "The Defence and 
Reduction of Mount Washington," by 
Reginald Pelham Bolton, (p. 92) Magaw 
is put down as a "native of the town of 



Carligle, Pena'a." The Kev. Dr. J. A. 
Murray, after careful investigation, 
found th.it his father, Wi liam Magaw, 
was a Scotch-Irish liwyer; who came 
from Strabane, in the County of Tyrone, 
Ireland, but was uacertaio as to the* 
birth place of his sous, Robert, Samuel 
and William; Robert beins: the eldest. 
But according to the most authoritative 
sources, Robert, the son of William and 
Elizabeth Magaw, was born in Philadel- 
phia, in 1738; where his father had first 
settled on coming from the North of 
Ireland to America. The son was 
educated at the Academy of Philadel- 
phia, and studied law. His father re- 
moved to Carlisle, about the time of the 
erection of the county. Here as a lawyer 
Robert Magaw acquired a practice that, 
for several years preceding the outbreak 
of the Revolutionary War, was by far 
the largest at the Carlisle Bar. It ex- 
tended into the county of Northumber- 
land, and adjoining- counties. He also 
acted as prosecutor for the Crown in a 
number of cases. After the war and 
years of absence from the town, he re- 
acquired a very large practice. I have 
been particular to emphasize the fact 
that he was a Carlisle lawyer, because 
Bancroft, in history of that period, 
states without qualification; "the fort 
was under the command of Col. Magaw, 
who had passed from the Bar of Phila- 
delphia to the army." 

The following quotations from recog- 
nized authorities will make his position 
as a lawyer perfectly clear, "From 1759 
to 1764 Magaw appears to have had by 
far the largest practice at the Carlisle 
bar; and from 1761 to 1770 Magaw, 
Wilson and Stephenson had the largest 



8 

practice; aoJ he bad a very large practice 
in 1782." Judge Bidile, in his "Three 
Signers," says: "Early in 1762 Robert 
Magaw settled in Carlisle and began the 
practice of law, and in a few years trans- 
acted two thirds of the legal business of 
the county." 

With the first measures of oppression 
by the mother country his feelings be- 
came actively enlisted on the side of 
the colonies. Upon the receipt of the 
circular sent out by the Committee ap- 
pointed by the large meeting in Phila- 
delphia to take action in regard to the 
Boston Port-Bill, in June, 1774, the 
historic meeting for Cumberland county 
was held in the Presbyterian church in 
Carlisle, presided over by John Mont- 
gomery, which passed a series of resolu- 
tions, responded to the call for a general 
meeting of the counties, to be held in 
Philadelphia, by the appointment of 
three deputies to such a meeting, one of 
whom was Robert Magaw. It also ap- 
pointed a permanent Committee of Cor- 
respondence for the county, of which 
Magaw was made a member, and it also 
recommended a Congress of Deputies 
from all the colonies. As events moved 
rapidly the feelings of the citizens kept 
pace with them, and were ready to assert 
themselves in action. 

MILITARY MEASURES IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY 
AFTER LEXINGTOX. 

As a suitable historic background for 
the most effective presentation of the 
peculiarity of their action a very brief 
recapitulation of the events immediately 
preceding, and of the conditions at the 
time will be of assistance. When the 
second Continental Congress met. May 



9 

10, 1775, Lexington had been fought; 
the New England colonies, almost with- 
out realizing it, had taken up the gage 
of battle; they had already collected an 
arnoy, or what might be formed into an 
army; and had cooped up General Gage 
with his regulars in Boston. A state of 
war actually existed. The pressing 
question was a military one. Congress 
at ouce formed a federal union, and then 
proceeded to exercise sovereign powers, 
although still British subjects. It ord- 
ered the enlistment of troops, the pur- 
chase of military supplies, and the 
issuing of notes of the United Colonies. 
But the question present in the minds 
of all was that of the man to organize 
and lead the army. Washington seems 
to have been in the minds of all; but 
local jealousies and personal aspirations 
retarded the unanimity that finally 
marked the action of the Congress. 
The question naturally presented itself: 
why not adopt the New England army 
already in the field? It can be readily 
understood that there was a natural 
hesitation to suggestiug a commander- 
in-chief a man from a different section, 
and without a representation in that 
army, and that hesitation would not be 
lessened when it was felt that Hancock 
and others resented it, and were perhaps 
not without aspirations of their own. 
But when the time came for a vote the 
commander-in-chief was selected by 
ballot, without opposing vote. 

Washington was commissioned on the 
20th of June, started for Boston on the 
21st; was received in Boston July 2nd 
with greatest cordiality and evidences of 
joy; and assumed command. But the 
troops were still exclusively from New 



10 

Eagland. It was, iti fact, of a New 
England army. 

"first battalion of PENNSYLVANIA RIFLE- 
MEN," UNDER COL. WILLIAM THOMPSON, 
OFF TO BOSTON. 

A resolution of Congress, of June 4th, 
called for six companies of expert rifle- 
men from Pennsylvania. This was 
followed by another of June 22, direct- 
ing two more companies to be raised, 
and the eight companies to be formed 
into a battalion. The officers recom- 
mended by a committee of the Assembly, 
appointed for that purpose, June 24, 
were commissioned next day, 25th, by 
the Continental Congress. There is, 
however, no record of these commissions 
in the proceedings of the Continental 
Congress, as the 25th of June of that 
year was a Sunday, and there are no 
records of the Continental Congress of 
that date. 

William Thompson, of Carlisle, was 
commissioned as Colonel of the Battalion 
and Robert Magaw, who had been very 
active in recruiting it, as Major. 

Althcuj^h the records of the Conti- 
nental Congress, as we have said, are 
wanting at that date, there is no doubt 
in regard to the date of these commis- 
sions. That of William Thompson can 
be seen in the J. Herman Bosler Me- 
morial Library, in Carlisle, where it 
hangs suitably framed, the gift of Mrs. 
Mary E. Himes, from the collection of 
her father, the Rev. Joseph A. Murray, 
D. D. It bears the well known signa- 
tures of "John Hancock, President" 
and "Chas. Thomson, Sect.," of the 
Continental Congress, and is dated 
"June 25, 1775." It reads, that he is 
appointed "to be Colonel of the Battalion 



11 

of Riflemen Raised in the Province of 
Pennsylvania, in Ihe army of the 
United Colonies, raised for the defence 
of American Liberty, and for repelling 
hostile invasion thereof." 

The commission of General Washing- 
ton preceded these commissions by only 
five days. That of Col. Thompson is es- 
pecially interesting as the first com- 
mission as Colonel issued by the Conti- 
nental Congress; at least the first of the 
kind that is known to have been served 
under. The absence of the name of 
Georgia, from the list of "United 
Colonies," named in the Commission, is 
noticeable, as Georgia had not yet cast 
in her lot with the other colonies; but, 
Sept. 25, 1775, delegates from Georgia 
took their seats, and the names of the 
several colonies, in commissions after 
that date, were replaced by the words, 
"The Thirteen United Colonies of Amer- 
ica." 

This body of troops was styled by 
Gen. Washington, in his orders: "Col. 
Thompson's Battalion of Riflemen," as 
the Continental army had not yet been 
organized; and the commission of a 
captain read, "to be a captain of a com- 
pany of riflemen in the battalion com- 
manded by Colonel William Thompson." 

The name "Thomson" in his com- 
mission, as Colonel, is incorrectly spelled, 
but in the commission of a captain, of 
the same date, it is correctly spelled 
Thompson. 

These Pennsylvania riflemen were the 
first troops from west and south of the 
Hudson to join the army under Wash- 
ington before Boston. Their arrival 
there was significant. Up to that time 
that army had been a New England 



12 

army. From that time it became more 
and more an army of the Thirteen 
United Colonies soon to be styled the 
Continental Army. We can realize how 
the Commander in Chief appreciated 
this fact, and what a cordial welcome he 
gave the men; and that the Bostonians 
saw in this arrival an evidence of sym- 
pathy on the part of the other colonies, 
more substantial than resolutions. 
Whilst it is perfectly proper to speak of 
this battalion as Col. Thompson's batta- 
lion, too much credit, however, is often 
claimed for Carlisle and our county, 
even by careful historians, by reason of 
his residence here. The correctness of 
the statement, (Wing p. 80) that the 
"battalion was formed, officered and 
equipped principally in Cumberland 
county," would be justly disputed by 
historians of our sister counties. 

The facts are, that the number of 
companies called for at first was six, 
soon increased to eight, and finally to 
nine by the acceptance of a company 
from Lancaster, that had not been 
called for. Only two of these companies 
were from Cumberland county, includ- 
ing the one from Franklin, then a part 
of Cumberland. 

Again in stating that "the battalion 
marched directly to Boston," and giving 
the route, a fact of considerable interest 
is overlooked, namely, that the battalion 
wiS recruited by companies in the 
several counties, some of which, as we 
shall see, pushed on separately, as 
rapidly as possible, and reached Boston 
before the others; and the routes taken 
as well as the dates of arrival are various- 
ly given. Bancroft says, that, between 
the 25th of July and the 7th of August, 



13 

1400 riflemen arrived in camp; that they 
were the first troops levied under the 
authority of the Continental Congress, 
and were from Virginia, Maryland and 
Pennsylvania, tiie larger number from 
Pennsylvania, and "of the eight com- 
panies from Pennsylvania, William 
Thompson was colonel," this is not in- 
accurate as to the number of companies 
as one of the companies did not reach 
Boston before September, But the 
dates within which the arrivals are said 
to have taken place, are not strictly 
accurate, as Col. Thompson and the 
field-officers reached Boston, August 17, 
and several companies about the same 
time, and others later, as we shall see. 
Thus Lieut. Col. Hand writes, August 
20: "Arrived with Col. Thompson * * ; 
got into Cambridge August 18, and the 
return of the 18th includes captains with 
field-officers who got in on the 17th." 
Hildreth speaks of Thompson's regi- 
ment as, "riflemen from western Penn- 
sylvania." This may not be so far out 
of the way; as Carlisle was spoken of, at 
that time, frequently as in the western 
part of the State. The dates of de. 
parture for, or more particularly those 
of the arrival at Boston of the several 
commands, are of very special interest in 
settling claims of priority, Bancroft, in 
giving July 25th. as the earliest date of 
arrival of riflemen from the south is un- 
doubtedly correct, but in grouping all 
from Virgiuid, Maryland and Pennsyl- 
vania togetiier, and mentioning Morgan 
and his Virginians first, may uninten- 
tionally create the impression that the 
Virginians were first on the field, or at 
least that there was no marked difference 
in the times of arrival of the different 



14 

commands. As a matter of history it is 
of some interest to us..to know, that the 
Pennsylvanians were first on the field. 
There can be no question that Capt. 
Doudel's company of Thompson's batta- 
lion was the first body of troops to re- 
port to Washinf^ton at Boston. It was 
from York; but it is but fair to little 
Adams county to state, not only that it 
was a part of York county then, but 
that, as a fact, a large number of Capt. 
Doudel's company was recruited from 
the hardy mountaineers around Getty's 
Tavern, now Gettysburg. 

Several authentic records show that 
this company left York, July 1st, 1775, 
for Boston, and, as the Committee 
wrote, "began their march the nearest 
road to Boston." The old Moravian 
records, which are always most reliable 
where they exist, for fixhog historical 
data of all kinds, note under the above 
date, "this afternoon a company of 100 
men of this town left for the American 
army in New England, with the ringing 
of bells, after a sermon had been preached 
to them by the Presbyterian minister." 
Undoubtedly the minister of the German 
Reformed church is here meant; as it 
was frequently, or generally, called the 
"German Presbyterian" church, at that 
time, and that denomination was one of 
the oldest and most influential in the 
town. 

Another equally authentic account 
states: July 26, 1775, Capt. Doudel, 
with his company of riflemen, from 
Yorktown, Pennsylvania, arrived at 
Cambridge at 10 o'clock today. This is 
the earliest date assigned by Bancroft 
for the arrival of any of the riflemen. 

As regards the Virginia riflemen, the 



15 

records of the Moravian church in York 
are also valuable. Under date of July 
19, they noti^: "A company of Virginia 
troops arrived here on their march to 
join the American army, we were es- 
pecially affected by the sight of the 
motto, "Liberty or Death," which thei 
commander wore on his breast;" and 
under July 20th, is recorded: 

"The Virginia Company left town to- 
day for the army;" and again Aug. 5th: 
"The last Company of Virginia troops 
marched through the town for the Ameri- 
can army." Whilst then, to the company 
from York county must be conceded 
priority of arrival at Boston, the com- 
panies from Cumberland county were a 
good second. Capt. Chambers, of the 
Franklin county company, writes from 
Cambridge, Aug. 13th: "Arrived in 
camp on 7th, ultimo about 12 o'clock." 
(Garrard, p. 43.) The "ultimo" is evi- 
dently a slip of the pen. Capt. Hen- 
dricks' company left Carlisle July 15th, 
and arrived at Boston, Aug. 8th. 

It was a matter of some chagrin to 
Col. Thompson that the companies from 
Cumberland were so much behind that 
from York. In a letter, from Carlisle, to 
Col. Montgomery, June 30th, he writes: 
"I am sorry to inform you that the com- 
panies asked from this county are not 
near complete, nor can I say when they 
will be filled, as it is in the heat of 
harvest and I doubt arguments are 
rather used to keep the men here than 
to foward the service. The York county 
Company is quite complete and has 
received my orders to march this day." 
Capt. Nagel, with Heading Rifles, ar- 
rived at Cambridge Aug. 18th. 



16 

ROUTES AND INCIDENTS OP THE MARCH FROM 
CARLISLE TO BOSTON. 

As to the routes taken by the batta- 
lion, or rather the routes of the several 
companies, accounts are incomplete and 
contradictory. The sources of informa- 
tion, outside of official documents, are 
journals of soldiers, letters, petitions 
for pensions and newspaper accounts of 
the day, Doudei's company, the first 
to start, according to the report of the 
Committee, proposed to "go by the most 
direct way to Boston." The History of 
Cumberland county says the regiment 
moved directly to Boston by way of 
Easton, etc. But this can only be true 
in a very general way, as the regiment 
did not march as a body. One account 
says that Doudei's company passed 
through Bethlehem July 8th, the other 
companies July 21st and July 24th, 
whilst a newspaper account tells of 
Doudei's company marching through 
Dey street, New York, to the music of 
its drums on its way to Boston. The 
Philadelphia Post, of Aug. 17, 1776, 
says, between the 28th of July and Aug. 
2nd, riflemen under the command of 
Smith, Loudon, Doudel, Chambers, 
Nagel, Miller and Hendricks passed 
through New Windsor, a few miles 
above West Point, on their way to 
Boston. Reading was a point of sup- 
plies, and of rendezvous for most of the 
companies 

As to Capt. Hendricks' company, in 
which we are naturally most interested, 
which started from Carlisle, there is a 
journal, which purports to have been 
kept by Capt. Hendricks himself of his 
own company and that of Capt. Cham- 
bers, which gives a detailed account of 



17 

each day's mareb after leaving Carlisle, 
July 13th. This journal was, however, 
first published in Glasgow, whither it 
was sent in 1776, by a citizen of Quebec, 
after the battle in which Hendricks fell. 
It contains some statements that show 
that it was completed by another hand; 
but the account of the march from Car- 
lisle to Boston is probably correct, and 
is corroborated by a journal kept by 
Geo. Morrison, a private in the company, 
which also includes the march to Quebec 
through the Maine Woods. The com- 
pany's march, the first day from Carlisle 
was to Harris' Ferry, thence to Lebanon 
and Reading. At the latter place met 
four other co upanies destined for Cam- 
bridge. From thence went by way of 
Ailentown, Bethlehem, Easton, points 
in New Jersey, New Windsor, on the 
Hudson, Litchfield, Connecticut, where 
Capt. Price, of Maryland, came up with 
them, Hartford, Farmington, on 9th, to 
Headquarters, at Cambridge; having 
marched a distance of 432 miles. 

There are several interesting incidents 
illustrating the temper of the times, and 
the mode of settling individuals running 
counter to it. Thus at Log Gaol, N. J., 
the entry is made: "Tarred and feather- 
ed one of the ministerial tools." The 
term "ministerial" might be misleading 
but it simply carries the political mean- 
ing of the time, having no relation, 
whatever, to a minister of the gospel, 
but to the Ministers of King George. 
The colonists were still British subjects; 
with them the King could do no wrong; 
and all the measures for the oppression 
of the colonies had to be attributed to 
his Ministers, and individuals who sup- 
ported them were "ministsrial tools." 



18 

Even the army of Gen. Gage, at Boston, 
was often spoken of as the "Ministerial 
Army." The colonists had not yet 
reached the point of openly declaring 
that they were fighting King George and 
his armies; that would have been treason. 
At Litchfield, Connecticut, where they 
met the Maryland Company, they 
"tarred and feathered another ministeri- 
al tool, under which treatment he re- 
canted." Morrison says in his journal: 
"We apprehended a violent Tory, whom 
we tarred and feathered for refusing to 
sign the Resolutions of Congress, and 
left him to ruminate on the quality of 
our manners." Again the entry of Aug. 
3rd, which confirms the meeting with 
the Maryland Company; is: "Marched 
through Litchfield, a small town in Con- 
necticut, where we tarred and feathered 
another Tory, brought into town by a 
company of Maryland troops. He had 
been very violent and clamorous, derid- 
ing the cause and all who espoused it. 
After causing him to drink to the health 
of Congress, he was drummed out of 
town." 

CAPTAIN WILLIAM HENDRICKS 

Captain Hendricks fell with Mont- 
gomery, in the attack on Quebec, at the 
Palace Gate, Dec. 30, 1776. The selection 
of his company, with that of Smith of 
Pennsylvania, and Morgan to go on the 
expedition to Canada, through the 
Maine Woods, under Arnold was a high 
compliment to the young officer. The 
journal of Morrison says the "Rifle 
Captains cast lots who should go;" but 
I find no allusion to such a fact by 
Henry, who was in the company, in his 
classic account of the memorable march, 
and there are some reasons to doubt it. 



19 

This worth}' representative of our 
county deserves more than this passing 
notice. According to Henry, "although 
Hendricks was the oldest commissioned 
officer of the rifle companies, he was 
still the youngest man. For the sake of 
peace and good order, he had not as- 
sented to, but merely acquiesced in 
Morgan's assumption of the command 
of our corps, as the older j^erson." But 
it is only proper to add, that whilst the 
commission of Hendricks in the Conti- 
nental army, was among the very first as 
a Captain in Thompson's battalion, 
Morgan was his superior in actual service, 
and had been with Washington in his 
Indian campaigns, and had his fullest 
confidence, as well as his personal friend- 
ship. 

Hendricks is described by Henry as 
"tall, of mild and beautiful countenance. 
His sou) was animated by a spark of 
genuine heroism." So Bancroft, in 
speaking of the riflemenjsays: "One of 
the captains was Hendricks, long re- 
membered for his stately person and 
heroic soul;" and the dispatch of the 
day, announcing the losses of the assault 
on Quebec, reads that "excellent young 
officer Captain William Hendricks of 
Pennsylvania." We will venture to add 
to these an extract from the oration of 
Provost Smith, of the University of 
Pennsylvania, before the Continental 
Congress, Feb. 19, 1776, on the death of 
Montgomery, as follows: "I must not, 
however, omit the name of the brave 
Captain Hendricks, who commanded 
one of the Pennsylvania Rifie Com- 
panies, and was known to me from in- 
fancy. He was indeed prodigal of his 
lif?, and courted danger out of his tour 



20 

of duty. The command of the guard 
belonged to him on the morning of the 
attack, but he sohcited and obtained 
leave to take a more conspicuous post; 
and having led his men through the 
barrier, vrhere his commandmg officer, 
General Arnold, was vpounded, he long 
sustained the fire of the garrison with 
unshaken firmness, till at last receiving 
shot in his breast, he immediately ex- 
pired." His commanders, Gen. Thomp- 
son and Col. Magaw, in letters testified 
that: "No fatigues of duty ever dis- 
couraged him, he paid the strictest at- 
tention to his company, and was am- 
bitious that they should excel in dis- 
cipline, sobriety and order." 

OBSERVATIONS BY THE WAY AND SENSATIONAL 
NOTICES OF THE RIFLEMEN. 

Magaw found time to write full letters 
addressed to the Committee of Cumber- 
land County, not official, but with the 
freedom of intimate personal friendship. 
Of course they were not for publication 
at the time but we may be permitted to 
take a glimpse through extracts from 
them at the conditions of that time. 
The first one after arrival reads: "Camp 
at Cambridge, Aug. 13, 1775." Dear 
Gentlemen: ,,I came here with three 
Companies of our Battalion on Wednes- 
day the 9th instant in the forenoon, 
having been but 20 days on actual march 
between this place and Carlisle. We 
became so accustomed to walking that 
I sincerely think we could have con- 
tinued "6" months." "We made 177 
miles the last week." "The country we 
passed through from Delaware to this 
place is poor, hilly and very stony, and 
in many places the roads as bad as in 



21 

our mountains, the country well im- 
proved, stone fences, frame houses; but 
by no means experienced the friendship 
and hospitality in Connecticut and Massa- 
chusetts, which was shown us in the 
Jerseys and New York." "The nearer 
we approach to Boston the less appear- 
ance of danger and distress; and here I 
have not seen a melancholy countenance, 
or heard the least complaint or uneasi- 
ness." "A great number of individuals 
must have suffered. Perhaps time and 
custom has made their losses sit easy, 
but for the greater part must be making 
money fast by supplying our great Army. 
They take care to ask enough for every- 
thing they sell. The Massachusetts 
Bay troops are numerous, but the least 
respectable of any. Small and great, 
old and young, some negroes and Mu- 
lattos are among them. Their dress is 
much against their appearance, some 
with long coats, almost trailing the 
ground, the next naked to the middies, 
in general but ill officered. The Rhode 
Islanders are allowed to excell the other 
New England troops. A number of 
their officers are very genteel men . You 
will think me vain should I tell you 
how much the rifle men are esteemed, 
their dress, their arms, their size, 
strength and activity, but above all 
their great eagerness to attack the enemy 
entitle them to the first rank. The 
hunting shirt here is like a lull suit at 
St. James. A rifleman in his dress may 
pass Sentinels and go almost where he 
pleases, while officers of other regiments 
are stopped. Since we came here the 
enemy does not show their heads. It 
was diverting. Their great guns throw 
the balls so wild and uncertain that there 



22 

is ?ery little danger. The town is situat- 
ed on a beautiful plain, * * * Some of 
the most elegant buildings I ever saw, 
though framed. A deserter says the 
enemy are much terrified on account of 
the riflemen. If but the God of Armies 
be with us the Liberties of America are 
safe." 

So it seems these riflemen created a 
sensation aside from being the flrst troops 
to reach Boston from the south. 

They were described in letters by dif- 
ferent observers, as stout, vigorous, 
many of them exceeding six feet and 
their uniforms, almost as impressive, as 
"made of brown Holland, or Osnaburg, 
something like a shirt double-caped over 
the shoulders, in imitation of Indians." 
Henry a member of Heudrick's com- 
pany, after fully describing their equip- 
ment, says: "The underdress, by no 
means in a military style, was covered 
by a deep ash-colored hunting shirt, 
leggins and moccasins when the latter 
could be procured," and adds, "it was 
the silly custom of those days for rifle- 
men to ape the manners of the savage." 

But it was their expertness with the 
rifle that made them terrible to the 
British officers. It is narrated, that in 
recruiting Capt. Doudel's company, at 
York, there were more applicants than 
could be taken, and young Lieut. Miller 
chalked a very small nose on a barn 
door and said: "I'll take only the men 
who can hit that nose at 150 yards." 
The newspaper of the day, appreciative 
of the humor of it, said, "General Gage 
take care of your nose." In spite of 
this test there was still an excess of ap- 
plicants, and some of the rejected ones 
accompanied the company as volunteers. 



23 

Captain Chambers in writiog to hia 
wife says: "The riflemen go where they 
please and keep the regulars in con- 
tinual hot water." (Garrard 43). He 
adds that one of the officers picked off 
by them was the son of a lord with 40,- 
000 pounds a year. Their skill and 
efficiency was described in many ac- 
counts of the day. Thus it was said "a 
company of them while on a quick ad- 
vance fired their balls into objects of 
seven inches in diameter, at a distance 
of 250 yards. Another account says, 
"shots were frequently fatal to British 
officers at more than double the distance 
of common musket shot." 

The wife of John Adams in a letter 
describing the skirmish at Lechmere's 
point for which Washington publicly 
thanked Col. Thompson's battalion in 
general orders, writes: "The British 
had landed under cover of a fire from 
their batteries on Bunker, Breed's and 
Capp's Hills, as well as from a frigate, 
which lay 300 yards off the point." In 
high tide it is an island. Col. Thomp- 
son marched instantly with his men, 
and though a very stormy day, they re- 
garded not the tide, nor waited for boats, 
but took to the water, although up to 
their armpits, for a quarter of a mile, 
and notwithstanding the regular's fire, 
reached the island, and although the 
enemy were lodged behind the walls and 
under cover, drove them to their boats." 
Lieut. Col. Hand in writing to his 
wife, about what he terms, "the fun 
our regiment had yesterday," says 
"when the alarm was first given Col. 
Thompson was at Cambridge, and he 
(Hand) marched the regiment, as it was 
the first ready, though the most distauti 



24 

but Cal. Thompson met him and Major 
Magaw on the causeway, and the whole 
then passed with the utmost diligence 
up to our middies in water." 

Col. Magaw, who was in this action, is 
will be seen from the following extracts 
from a letter, had been sent to Cape 
Ann: "Prospect Hill, Aug. 29, 1775. 
Dear Gentlemen: — On the morning of 
the 16th, I was sent to Cape Ann * * in 
consequence I suppose of intelligence 
that the enemy intended to burn the 
town. I had 260 chosen riflemen and 12 
officers and some volunteers under my 
command. Was ordered back in five 
days to Prospect Hill — rifles in good 
order — good powder, men cool. Have 
seen boys and soldiers fifty times — run 
after cannon balls before they fell, and 
some have been hurt attempting to stop 
them before they were done running. 
Boys often pull hair for who shall be 
first at them. Col. Thompson presents 
his love to you, this letter will serve for 
us both, as he is much engaged at this 
critical period. I am Dear Gentlemen, 
with great esteem, your afleclionate 
friend and servant. — R. Magaw." 

A CAPTUEED RIFLEMAN, AND HOW HE 
SERVED HIS COUNTRY. 

The following interesting incident, 
from a paper by J. W. Shettel before 
the York County Historical Society, 
illustrates the bitterness of feeling of 
the British officers toward these sharp- 
shooter riflemen, and how it offered one 
opportunity to do his country much 
more important service than he had an- 
ticipated. After one of the early engage- 
ments one of the riflemen of Doudel's 
company — Walter Cruise was missing, 
and was put down as killed. But he had 



. 25 

been taken prisoner, and after being 
very roughly treated by the British 
officers was finally sent to England. 
There he was a great curiosity, as the 
reports of the riflemen had preceded 
him. He was imprisoned for a time, 
and upon his release fell in with Arthur 
Lee, the secret agent of the Colonies in 
London. He seemed to see in him the 
very man he needed to carry very im- 
portant information to the Continental 
Congress. He asked Cruise whether he 
could trust him to deliver dispatches 
into the hands of General Washington. 
His reply was: "My life is at the service 
of my country." Lee got passage for 
him to Halifax, urging him to deliver 
the papers as soon as possible into the 
hands of General Washington, or to 
Congress. On arrival at Halifax, he 
made straight for New York and deliver- 
ed the papers to General Washington. 
They were read by Congress with sur- 
prise. Many of the leading statesmen 
were still hopeful of a peaceable solution 
of the troubles, in fact, Peace Commis- 
sioners were looked for by some. These 
papers told that the British Ministery 
had concluded arrangements for sending 
German mercenaries, beside additional 
British troops. This news confirmed 
the wavering, and unified the people in 
support of the most radical measures of 
resistance. Within two weeks resolu- 
tions looking toward Independence Aere 
introduced into the Congress, and a few 
weeks later were passed. Cruise was 
rewarded and appointed a Captain in 
the 6th Regiment. 

THE RIFLEMEN PETTED AND SPOILED. 

There is, however, another little 



26 

episode, in this connectioD of a differeot 
color, that ought not to be passed over 
in absolute silence. These riflemen bad 
come so far, had arrived so opportunely, 
and were so conspicuous in their many 
and unique soldierly qualities, that they 
were granted many priviliges, as inti- 
mated in Magaw's letter, beyond the 
ordinary soldier. Their camp was sepa- 
rated from tbe others by 100 yards; they 
were excused from all working parties, 
camp guards, camp duties. In other 
words they were petted and consequent- 
ly spoiled. They released offenders, of 
their companj', from tlie guard house, 
and interfered with punishment of others. 
Finally 32 members of one of the com- 
panies broke out in open mutiny, with 
loaded rifles in protest against the pun- 
ishment of one of their number. General 
Washington soon brought them to terms, 
disarmed them, and had them tried by 
a general court martial. One of their 
companions, deeply sensible of the dis- 
grace to the regiment, could only say 
for them, "that upon every alarm it was 
impossible for men to behave with more 
readiness, or attend better to their duty; 
it is only in the camp that we cut a 
poor figure." The immediate result 
was a general order that, "Col. Thomp- 
son's battalion of riflemen, posted on 
Prospect Hill, to take their share of all 
duty, of guard and fatigue, with the 
Brigade they encamp with." The Lan- 
caster companies seem to have been the 
most serious offenders; but Col. Hand, 
in a letter at the time, remarks, "The 
expedition with which the York com- 
pany was raised does not help on with 
their misconduct." "The General 
positively refused to take the York 



27 

company" for the Quebec expedition. 
This was an early escapade of new and 
petted recruits, and of which they were 
at once heartily ashamed, all disgrace of 
which was soon wiped out by subsequent 
service. 

PROMOTIONS AND CHANGES IN THE RIFLE 
BATTALION. 

Thus much time has been given to 
this regiment not only because its 
Colonel, and its Major and two of its 
companies were from our county, but 
because of its interesting place in the 
history of the Continental Army. It was 
the first to reach Boston from the south. 
Col. Thompson was the first Colonel in 
service under the Continental Congress. 
As to his rank in the Continental Army, 
as reorganized in 1776, Washington 
speaks of Thompson as "the first Colonel 
in this army." 

But Thompson's battalion of riflemen, 
as a whole had disintegrated long before 
the term of enlistment had expired, 
July 1, 1776. On the 6th of September 
preceding, the two companies of Hen- 
dricks and Smith had been detashed to 
form part of Arnold's memorable ex- 
pedition to Canada. On the 6th of 
January, Major Magaw was commission- 
ed Colonel of the Fifth Pennsylvania, 
and March 2nd, left for Pennsylvania; 
Col. Thompson, was commissioned 
Brigadeer General and left about the 
same time; March 7, Lieu. Col. Hand 
became Colonel of the battalion; and 
Captain Chambers, of one of the Carlisle 
companies, was promoted to the Lieut. - 
Colonelcy of "Hand's Rifle Battalion in 
the Army at Cambridge," as some 
records still style it. Sept. 26, 1776, he 



28 

was commissioned Colonel of the First 
Regiment of Coatinental troops of the 
Pennsylvania Line. In the same way 
others were assigned to higher rank in 
the new regiments and some privates 
were re-enlisted before their term ex- 
pired ia new regiments. Col. Thomp- 
son was commissioned Brigadier General, 
March 1, 1776, was in command in New 
York for a short time, and tlien put in 
command of the expedition to Canada 
by way of Albany, not of that through 
the Maine Woods as is sometimes stated. 
He was captured with most of his com- 
mand, July 4, 1776, at Three Rivers, 
Canada, and was not exchanged until 
1780. The Sixth Pennsylvania oattalion 
under Col. William Irvine of Carlisle, 
formed part of his command. Col. 
Magaw's new command was formed 
under a resolution of Congress, Dec. 9, 
1775, ordering the raising of four more 
battaliotis in the Colony of Pennsylvania. 
Of the four Colonels, St. Clair, Shee, 
Wayne and Magaw, commissioned Jan. 
3rd, 1776, Magaw was the junior, and 
Colonel of the Fifth battalion, which he 
commanded until the surrender of Ft. 
Washington. He left Boston, Feb. 2nd, 
the battalion being then only partially 
raised. There is considerable misunder- 
standing as to the locality to which this 
battalion is to be credited. The History 
of Cumberland County says: "The fifth 
was made up of companies principally 
from Cumberland county. It was re- 
cruited during the months of December, 
January and February. In February 
there are references to it in the pro- 
ceedings of the Committee of Safety, 
which imply that some of the companies 
were already in Philadelphia on their 



23 

way to Head Quarters, but the main 
body did not leave the ccuaty uniil the 
middle of March." Tne account before 
alluded to by a writer oa this subject, 
which makes Maga^ a native of Carlisle, 
also stated that after taking part in the 
siege of Boston, he returned hom3 and 
organized the Fifth Regiment from men 
of his own county. 

The fact is, that this regiment was 
recruited in the eastern part of the State, 
largely from Bucks, Berks, Lancaster 
and Philadelphia counties. The rolls in 
the Pennsylvania Archives, though in- 
complete, show no names from Cum- 
berland county, and the return, by 
order of Gen. Washington, of prisoners 
taken at Ft. Washiugtan, as taken from 
the original, does not contain a single 
name in the battalion from Cumberland 
county. A statement, originally by 
Linn the historian, that would give most 
color to the belief that they were from 
Cumberland county, is in regard to a 
sermon, as preached to them before 
leaving Carlisle, March 17, 1776, by Rev. 
Wm. Linn, subsequently pastor of the 
Presbyterian church at Big Spring. 
The published sermon is still in ex- 
istance. The fact is that Mr. Linn was 
appointed Chaplain of the Fifth and 
Sixlh battalions, and the sixth battalion, 
that of Col. Irvine, afterward General 
Irvine was raised in great part six com- 
panies out of eight, in Cumberland 
county. It was before this regiment, 
not the both regiments that the sermon 
was preached, a further confirmation of 
which view is the statement that it did 
not take part in the battle of Long 
Island and the defence of Ft. Washing- 
ton, but went directly under Brig. -Gen. 



3,0 

Thompson to Canada by way of the 
Hudson river and Albany, and was there 
for the most part captured. The ac- 
count itself states that some of the com- 
panies of the Fifth must have been in 
Philadelphia in February, and it is not 
probable that they would have marched 
to Carlisle, and back again to Philadel- 
phia. According to Magaw's own state- 
ment he had his "new raised regiment 
as soon as possible in very good dis- 
cipline and on the 12th of .Tuns was 
ordered with the regiment from Phila- 
delphia to New York," where it arrived 
between the 20th and 25th of June. 

DIGGING AT FT. WASHINGTON. 

A few days afterward it was marched 
with Shea's battalion ''towards Kings- 
bridge, and encamped on the ground on 
which Ft. ^^ ashington was erected." 
They formed part of the command of 
General Mifflin, and began on the con- 
struction of the fort under direction of 
Col. Rufus Putman as engineer. It may 
be of some local interest to know, that 
this Colonel Putman had a son, Edwin, 
who was graduated at Dickinson, in the 
class of 1797. 

Magaw's and Shee's battalions, the 
latter soon to be commanded by Cad- 
wallader, were not only closely associat- 
ed in the construction of the fort but in 
all the subsequent operations up to the 
capitulation. Shee's battalion was com- 
posed largely of aristocratic Philadel- 
phians. There was a Captain Graydon 
in this battalion, who was a gentleman 
of fine literary ability as well as a careful 
and impartial observer. He has given a 
detailed account of all the occurrences 
in connection with Ft. Washington, in 



oX 

what he modestly styles, *' Memoirs of a 
life, principally passed in Pennsylvania," 
without name on the title page, but 
known to be by Alexander Graydon. It 
has been pronounced, "a production 
rich in the various excellencies of style, 
description and impartiality," and I 
would add that, where his aristocratic 
tendencies, or predjudices are not in- 
volved, of the highest reliability, and 
furnishes data obtainable from no other 
source, which are readily recognizable in 
our best histories. In a few weeks they 
had produced immense mounds of earth, 
resulting in a fort of five bastions. He 
found that the dry weather and dust 
gave them the appearance of scavengers 
sadly at variance with neatoes, of person 
of which Colonel Shee was an enthusias- 
tic admirer. 

Whilst the work of digging, Improbus 
Labor, as Graydon terms it, may have 
seemed unsoldierly and have been un- 
congenial to the aristocratic Philadel- 
phians, one writer remarks that to the 
men of the Fifth reeiment, the hardy 
frontiersmen of the Cumberland Valley 
it was no novelty, which may be correct, 
except as to locality to which he credits 
them. 

BRITISH FLEETS AND HESSIANS RETREAT 
FROM LONG ISLAND. 

But events were transpiring elsewhere 
that Graydon felt were soon to give 
them more congenial occupation and 
give them the post of honor in one of 
the most famous military movements. 

The forced evacuation of Boston by 
Gen. Howe, March 17, 1776, whilst the 
occasion of great rejoicing in the Colonies 
and huDQiliating to the British army, did 



32 

not even cripple it, but released it, with 
the large fleet at its command for trans- 
fer to some other field. Where will it 
turn up? Was the aaxious question to 
Washington. New York seemed the 
most probable objective point, the key 
to the continent, the depot of supplies. 
To it he rapidly transferred his army, 
where it arrived April 15th. On June 
29lh, 40 sail and 6 transports brought 
Gen. Howe with more than 10,000 troops, 
which were landed on Staten Island, 
July 3rd. Admiral Howe with hiis fleet 
and troops arrived from England July 
12th, and by other additions the force 
was brought up to more than 14,000, to 
which Sir Henry Clinton with his fleet, 
returning from his unsuccessful attack 
on Charleston added more than 3,000 
more with other additions making the 
army about 80,000 men. But the most 
significant fact of all was that among 
these were the first foreign mercenaries — 
13,000 Hessians, 4,000 Brunswickers and 
others. They were not altogether unex- 
pected, thanks to the dispatches brought 
by the captured rifleman, before alluded 
to. 

Washington's army all told, including 
raw levies and militia was 27,000 scattered 
at distant points. Gen. Greene was in 
command at Brooklyn, Long Island. In 
the battle of Long Island on the 27th, 
Hand's battalion, Thompson's old rifle 
battalion, was the first to engage the 
Hessians, and was driven back by great- 
ly superior numbers. The evening of 
that day found the army shattered and 
dispirited behind the entrenchments on 
Brooklyn Heights with the victorious 
enemy within musket shot in front. 
.Express was gent requiring the im- 



mediate march of Shee's and Magaw's 
regi;nents from Ft. Washington, Thoy 
seacbed the city, which was "a scene of 
tumult, confusion and dismay," under 
orders to cross tbe East river by break 
of day. They crossed early next morn- 
ing, under command of Gen. Mifflin, 
with Glover's Massachusetts regiments, 
there they "inspired no inconsiderable 
degree of confidence. The faces that 
had been saddened by the disasters of 
yesterday assumed a gleam of anima- 
tion." They were posted but a few 
hundred paces from the enemy. After 
continual skirmibhing they were ordered 
at dark, on the 29ih, to hold themselves 
in readiness for a night attack upon the 
enemy. This was intended to conceal 
the retreat from Long Island. Gen. 
Mifflin had earnestly advocated the 
retreat, and only asked the rear in case 
of retreat, the van if in action. During 
that eventful night the battalions of 
Shee and Magaw were only aware of a 
"deep murmur in the camp" which in 
dicated a movement toward the river 
Severe as this test was for these troops 
of holding the rear of a retreating army 
whilst a "victorious array in overwhelm 
ing numbers was so near that they were 
heard at work with their pick-axes and 
shovels it was made more trying by an 
error in orders by an adjutant, which 
imperilled the whole movement, and 
caused Washington great anxiety. 
Gen. Heath wrote, "Whoever has seen 
troops in a similar situation, or duly 
contemplates the human heart in such 
trials, will know how to appreciate the 
conduct of those brave men on this 
occasion." The great retreat from Long 
Island was accomplished. Early next 



3,4 

mornin? the British outposts saw only 
the rear guard of the retreating araay, 
out of reach of their fire. It has been 
well said that: "The withdrawal of a 
defeated, dispirited and undisciplined 
army, of 9,000 men from the view of an 
able and experienced officer, and to 
transport them with their military stores, 
provisions, artillery and horses, across a 
wide and navigable river, vyatched by a 
numerous and vigilant fleet, raulis the 
retreat from Long Island justly among 
those skillful maneuvers that distinguish 
a master in the art of war." We can 
well be proud of the part taken by Cum- 
berland county in tliis memorable event. 

YORK ISLAND ABANDONED, FT, WASHINGTON 
TO BE HELD. 

But this was merely preliminary to 
even more lionorable service. Wash- 
ington soon saw the necessity of the 
utimate abandonment of Ne^f York on 
account of the vast superiority in num- 
bers of the well disciplined veteran 
troops opposed to him, and realized the 
risk of being cooped up in it by the aid 
of the poweriul fleet, which not only 
held his front, but menaced his sides 
and even his rear. At a council of war, 
Sept. 7, Washington inclined to the 
evacuation of the city. Gen. Greene, 
who was sick, by letter advocated not 
the abandonment of tlie city, but of the 
whole island and advised the burning of 
the city and its suburbs to prevent its 
affording shelter to the British army. 
Strange and radical as this proposition 
may seem," it had many advocates, and 
Washington was not altogether adverse 
to it. But Congress forbade it. On 
Sept. 10, Congress allowed Washington 
discretion as to the abandonment of the 



city; and on lept. 13, a Council of War 
decided thai it was abaoiutely necessary 
to withdraw from the city, but the 
central of the east side of the Hudson 
was not to be given up. 

After Britisli war vessels, on the 16th 
in the North river, had stopped move- 
ment of stores from the city by water, 
and troops from the East river had 
defeated the militia in skirmishes, the 
army hastily abandoned New York, 
with the loss of ail the heavy artiller}-, 
and a large portion of the baggage, 
provision and ' military stores. The 
battalions of Shee and Magaw, after the 
retreat from Long Island, encamped 
about 18 miles above .STew York, without 
tents or shelter of any kind and joined 
by other portions of the army were 
p:sied on the heights near Ft. Wash- 
ington until the middle of October. 
Howe's activity, manifested in passing 
vessels ap the North river, Oct. 9Lh, and 
landing troops from Long Island Sound, 
Oct. 12th, led to the determination by a 
Council of War, Oct. 16th. to abandon 
York Island, except Ft. Washington. 
This was left to be held by Col. Magaw 
with about 2,000 men. This was con- 
trary to the expressed judgment of 
Washington and some of his best 
generals, but the known wish of Con- 
gress had great itifluence in reaching 
the conclusion. 

The exact site of this fort has recently 
been determined with great care, from 
the small remnants of the bastions, at 
about Eleventh avenue and llSth street, 
and has been suitably marked. The 
house of James Gordon Bennet is close 
to the N. bastion. At tliat time the 
whole of the upper part of Manhattan, 



^!5 

or York Island as it was more generally 
called, was a narrow, wild, wooded, 
rough elevated plain, rising abruptly 
about 200 feet above the Hudson on the 
west, and nearly the same height above 
the Harlem creek, on the east, separated 
from the southern part of the island by 
the plains of Harlem, and stretching 
with an average width of three quarters 
of a mile, about four cailes to Kings- 
bridge, across the Spuyten Duy vel creek, 
that forms York Island. 

Over it passed the Kingsroad, now 
Broadway, from New York to the north, 
picking its way along the little valleys 
arouod the hills of this end. As early 
as Jan. 10, 1776, Washington had sent 
Lord Stirling to examine positions for 
defence around New York and along 
the Hudson. Gen. Lee was commis- 
sioned for the same purpose. On June 
7th, Generals Greene and Knox recon- 
noitered the ground at that spot and 
named a fort to be erected there. Fort 
Washington. In the middle of June, 
Washington reconnoitered the place 
himself on horseback, and located the 
fortification. It was about that time 
that we found Magaw's battalion arriv- 
ing and put to work digging, from which 
they were temporarily taken to cover 
the retreat from Long Island. This 
point was the highest point on the 
Hudson. The whole ridge was called 
Mt. Washington. A projecting point at 
the base narrowed the channel of the 
river somewhat. It was thus adopted 
by nature to command the passige of 
the river. But according to Graydon, 
the fort was not entitled, as far as he 
could judge, to the name of a fortress in 
in any degree capable of sustaining a 



S7 

siege. It was an op>ea earth- oonstrtio- 
tion, without barracks or casemates, 
without a diich of' any consequence, and 
required no parallels to approach it, it 
being at once withio reach of the as- 
sailants 

WAK SHIPS PASS THE FORT AND 
OBSTRUCTIONS. 

But even before the call of the regi- 
ment to cover the retreat from Long 
Island it had been demonstrated that 
the river was not to be controlled by 
constructing fortifications. Two vessels 
of the fleet of Admiral Howe, which had 
been sighted on July 12lh, soon came 
boldly up the bay, passed up the Hudson 
unmindful of batteries on either side, 
only replying to their fire with broad 
sides, up part Ft. Wishington, which 
had been notified by Washington, by 
express, of tlieir coming, unharmed, 
although every gun was trained on them 

Their decks were protected by sand 
bags. At Ft. Washington the question 
now was, how to prevent their return, as 
well as the passage of others up the 
river. General Israel Putnam, not the 
engineer, devised a plan of obstruction 
by means ol sunken vessels. Miflflin and 
his regiments at once entered into it. 
Surveys of the river were completed by 
July 21st. Vessels with tall masts, 
chained together, were to be sunk. 
Digi^ing gave way to hauling stones to 
load the hulks. By August 5, three 
were sunk. The frigates above were 
attacked in many ways; finally by fire 
boats. But, August 18, they passed 
back down the river, through an open- 
ing in the obstructions, which was to 
have been closed in a few days, unin- 



Jured by a furious fire from the fort. 
The work went on. Another scheme 
was presented to Congress, by an en- 
thusiastic individual and Washington 
was instructed to carry it out. Four- 
teen fire ships of special construction 
were to be sent down among the enemy's 
fleet and a simultaneous attack to be 
made by land. Much work had been 
done, but it fell through for want of 
time and otiier reasons. After the 
battle of Long Island, even greater 
anxiety was felt to secure the control of 
the Hudson. Four more ships were 
sunk in such a way that the obstructions 
were commanded by the fort. A s oop 
was on hand with a submarine explosive 
machine to blow up the war ships — a 
sort of torpedo boat, a favorite scheme 
of Putnam's. Four galleys, mounted 
with heavy guns, were stationed at the 
obstruction; more ships were on hand 
ready to be sunk. But at 8 am. Oct. 9, 
the Phoenix, Roebuck and Tartar with 
their tenders, stood up the river toward 
the fort. The galleys, the vessels in- 
tended to be sunk, the sloop with the 
submarine machine, all got under way 
in haste. The warships broke through 
the obstructions as if they were cob- 
webs, in spite of the vigorous fire from 
all the batteries, as the Americans 
thought at the time without injury, but 
as the British admitted with three 
olScers and six men killed and eighteen 
wounded and much damage to the masts 
and rigging. They continued up the 
river capturing and devastating, causing 
great anxiety up as far as the Highlands. 
Militia were called out, Washington dis- 
patched artillery. The excitement may 
be inferred from a letter of John Jay to 



39 

Rutledge, a aiember of the War Board, 
saying "I would have last spring 
desolated all Loog Island, Staten IsUmd 
acd the city, and county of New York, 
and all that part of West Chester county 
that lies below the Highlands." He 
would have shallowed the Hudson, by 
filling it with stone, so that war vessels 
could not pass, etc. Congress noet the 
incursion by a resolution directing 
Washington by every art and at what- 
ever expense to obstruct effectually the 
navigation of the North River, between 
Ft. Washington and Ft. Lee on the 
Jersey side opposite. 

MAGAW APPOINTED TO DEFEND FOET 
WASHINGTON. 

Gen. Howe, assured now of ability to 
pass up the North river at pleasure with 
his vessels and troops, put in motion 
the other part of his scheme to bag the 
Old Fox by landing forces, Oct. 12th, on 
the east side of the island. V\'^asliiDgtoa 
at once moved to check his advance. 
There were actions that were more than 
mere skirmishes. Councils of War were 
held, but without unanimity; but that 
of Oct. 16lh, at which all the Major 
Generals and Brigadier Generals were 
present, except Greene, finally acted in 
accordance with Washington's judge- 
ment, in so far at least, that the obstruc- 
tions at Ft. Washington having proved 
insufficient and the enemy's force now 
being in their rear on the east side, 
making it impossible to prevent the 
enemy from cutting off their communi- 
cations, and compelling them to fight at 
a disadvantage, or surrender at discre- 
tion, they agreed to evacuate New York 
Island, but in deference to the wish of 



4D 

Conj.n'ess, which bad great influence 
with geceruis, decided that "Fort Wash- 
ington be retained as long as possible." 
This was a post of danger and of honor 
for which there were aivTays aspirants. 
Doubtless in tJiis case there were others 
who might have ciaioaed it. Washing- 
ton had doubtless frequently to quiet 
very natural rivalries of this kind. In 
his order assigning Magaw, and giving 
him liis iostruelioGS, he asks that "the 
reasons of Magaw's appointment to the 
comnoand at that post" be made known 
to another Colonel, whose regiment it 
was found necessary to keep there. 
According to Chief Justice Marshall, in 
his life of Waihiugton, the command 
was given to Col. Magaw, "a brave and 
intelligent officer, in whom great con- 
fidence was placed." He had at first 
about 1400 troops, among them the 3rd 
and 5th Pennsj'ivania regiments, now 
under Cadwaliader and Magaw, to which 
others were added, bringing the number 
at the time of the capitulation up to 
2800. 

PRELIMINARY MOVEMENTS. 

By Oct. 23rd, Washington had station- 
ed himself in a fortified compact White 
Plains, beyond Kingsbridge, after a 
series of movements and skirmishes. 
Oct. 25th, Howe moved toward White 
Plains, on the 27th British troops made 
an attack on the post on Plarlem Heights 
and Magaw sent troops from the fort to 
aid. Quite an engagement ensued, in 
which Magaw checked the British 
advance. At the same time two war 
ships attempted to pass Forts Washing- 
ton and Lee. 

The forces were hurried from the fort 



41 

iut.o the souther a liae of .defence. Tha 
ships came abreast of the first lines and 
poured an enfilading fire into thena. 
Magaw dragged down one of his eighteen 
pounders from the fort to the point 
imasediately below, and at shorter range, 
with double shatted charges opened 
upon the ships, and soon reduced one of 
them almost to a wreck. They got off 
with difficulty. On the land side, where 
the attack was met effectively, the 
repulse of the ships caused the with- 
drawal of the attacking forces. 

During this attack. General Greene, 
who was at Ft. Lee in general com- 
mand, was with Magaw, but only as a 
spectator, as he was so well pleased with 
Magaw's management. He says: "Col. 
Magaw hid so happily disposed and 
arranged his men as to put the British 
out of conceit with their original in- 
tentions." In his report he remarks: 
"Our artillery behaved incomparably 
well. Col. Magaw is charmed with their 
conduct in firing at the ship and in the 
field." The battle at White Plains oc- 
curred the next day, followed by Wash- 
ington's withdrawal, on the 31st, to the 
heights of North Castle, five miles above, 
where Howe gave up his intention of 
attacking him, with his vastly superior 
forces, and, Nov. 4th, decamped from 
in front of Washington's position, 
moving down the Hudson; and in three 
days all the British and Hessians were 
gone, leaving Washington with divided 
anxiety between the safety of Ft, Wash- 
ington, and its garrison, and a move- 
ment of Howe into New Jersey and on 
to Philadelphia the latter of course 
more serious, as the former could be 
obviated by the withdrawal of the gar- 



42 

rlson. A Council of War, Nov. 6th, 
decided to pass a portion of the army 
into New Jersey. Washiuj^tuu uri^ed 
that Ft. WcishingtOQ would attract 
Howe's earliest attention. 

November 5, two more frigates passed 
up past Ft. Washington in spite of the 
increased obstructions N 'vemher 8, 
Washington wrote to (rreene: "If we 
cannot prevent vessels passing up, and 
the enemy are possessed of the surround- 
ing country, what valuable purpose can 
it answer to attempt to hold i post from 
which the expected beiiefil cannot be 
derived? I am therefore inclined to 
think that it will not be prudent to 
h^zzard the men and stores at Ft. Wash 
ington; but as you are on the spot I 
leave it to you to give such orders re- 
specting the evacuation of the place as 
you may think most advisable; and so 
far revoke the orders given to Col. 
Magaw to defend it to the last " In the 
same letter he directed Gen. Greene to 
remove all stores at once not necessary 
for the defence. Greene reiilied on the 
9th, that he did not consider the fort in 
immediate danger, that Col. Magaw 
thought it would take the enemy until 
the middle of December to carry it, and 
expressed the advisability of holding it. 
Washington left North Castle on the 
10th, leaving Lee there with a portion of 
thb army; on the 12th he crossed the 
Hudson, went immediately to Ft. Lee, 
and was greatly disappointed to find 
next day that Greene had not only not 
withdrawn the troops from Ft Wash- 
ington, but had sent over additional 
troops. Col. Magaw, however, still 
thought he could hold it. 

•INVESOCMEKI, A6SAUi/T, 6«;£.BBNi>HB. 



43 

By this time the fort was practically 
iuvested. On the niyht of Nov. 14lh, 40 
flatboats aaoved up the river past Ft. 
Washington inta the Harlem river. On 
the same date Washington wrote a letter 
from Ft. Lee to Congress showing that 
neither he nor Gen. Greene anticipated 
an immediate attack on Ft. Washington. 
On Nov. 15th he wrote two letters to the 
Board of War, one from Greene's head- 
quarters, Ft. Lee, the other from Hack- 
ensack; in neither of which was allusion 
made to theconditiun of Ft. Washington. 

But Howe's plan of attack was rapidly 
maturing. The arrival of the fldtboats 
on the nightof the 14th, completed them. 
Shortly after noon on the 15th, an officer 
under a white flag passed over Kings- 
bridge toward the fort. Magaw sent 
down Col. Swope to meet him. He 
brought a summons to surrender at 
discretion, or liability according to 
military law to be put to t: e sword if 
taken by storm, and required an answer 
in two hours. Magaw at once dispatch- 
ed a note to Gen. Greene saying we are 
determined to defend the post or die; 
and returned the following answer to the 
summons: " . o the Adjutant General of 
the British army.— Sir, if I ightly under 
stand the purport of your message from 
General Howe, communicated to Col. 
Swoope, this post is to be immediately 
surrendered or the garrison put to the 
sword. I rather think it is a mistake 
than a settled resolution in Gen. Howe 
to act a part so unworthy of himself and 
the British nation. But give me leave 
to assure his excellency, that actuated 
by the must glorious cause that mankind 
ever fought in, I am determined to de- 
feud the post to the very last extremity," 



It was sigced, ''Robert Magaw, Oolouel 
Commauding." 

I give this reply in full because the 
substance only is frequently given. 
Washington in his report said, he sent a 
spirited reply. Graydon says, "he re- 
turned the usual answer that he would 
defend it to the last extremity;" whilst 
in the latest up-to-date history of FisUe, 
it is given, he replied, "if you want it 
come and take it." This savors of im- 
pulse and bravado, compared with the 
serious dignity of Magaw's reply. The 
latter, too, comparts better with the 
following from his order of the day, of 
Nov. 2ad: "The officers of the several 
guards to recommend the greatest alert- 
ness to their Ceatinels, at this time and 
place the most dangerous, important and 
honorable post that perhaps Americans 
were ever placed in. The liberty of this 
great and free Continent may in great 
measure depend on our vigilance and 
bravery." 

Gen. Greene sent over reinforcements 
at once from Ft. Lee and sent an ex- 
press to Washington, who was at Hack- 
eusack. He came immediately to Ft. 
Lee. Finding that Generals Lee and 
Putnam had gone over to Ft. Washing- 
ton, he took boat at 9 o'clock for the 
fort, but met Greene and Putnam mid- 
way the river on their return. They 
reported the garrison in good spirits and 
assured him it would make a good de- 
fence and succeeded in persuading him 
to return. The next morning, Nov. 16, 
before day-break, Magaw took a position 
from which be could control the whole 
and made disposition of his troops to 
meet the oncoming assault He dis- 
tributed his little force to the different 



45 

outlying fortified positions. The three 
lines of defence on the south, from the 
Hudson to the Harlem, 7.ere assigned to 
the regiments of Cad wallader and Ma^aw, 
the latter under Lieut. Col Penrose, 
with companies from Miles' and some 
other battali Ds. The little three gun 
fort on the north end of the rocky rid^e, 
was given to Rawlins with his Maryland 
riflemen. The long line on the east, on 
the steep sides of the Harlem rivei , was 
assigned to Col. Baxter, oi Bucks cuuuty, 
and the Flying Camp. For complete 
list of names worthy of mention, re- 
ference can only be made to fuller ac 
counts, we will only add those of Col. 
Watts, Lieut. Col William Butler, Mont- 
gomery, Thomas Bull and Col. Haslett 
with his Delaware Boys. 

The British pi in included four simul- 
taneous attacks. That on the South was 
made by artillery between 7 and 8 o'clock 
from the other side of the Harlem river. 
They soon approached in great force, 
some coming down the Harlem in flat- 
boats. During the hour and a half that 
this fight was going on, General Wash- 
ington, and Generals Putnam, Greene 
and Mercer came over from Ft. Lee, 
viewed the positions of the troops, and 
the operations of the enemy in that 
quarter. As Greene relates, "there we 
all stood in a very awkward position, as 
the dispositions were made and the 
enemy advancinj^, we durst not attempt 
any new disposition, indeed we saw 
nothing amiss " They all urged Wash- 
ington to come off. A writer quoted by 
Graydon, as an undoubted authority, 
says, '"It is a fact not generally known 
that the British took p jssessiou of the 
verry spot ou which they stood ia id 



^6 

minutjB^ after thej' left." 

But it was on the north that the 
decisive conflict took place. Rawlius 
was attacked sometime later in the 
morning by Geu. Knyphausen and his 
division of Hessians. The German Gen- 
eral had asked it as a special fa^or that 
he might lead the main attack at the 
head of German regimeuts, exclusively. 
The ground was rough and wooded. 
Both sides fought with great siubbor- 
ness. The losses of the Htssians were 
the greater, as again and ag.'ain they at- 
tacked the intrenchments and were re 
pulsed. But numbers Qually prevailed 
and they carried the crest of the hill. 
The rifles of the Americans had becoaie 
too foul for use. Knyphausen reached 
petition 100 yards from the fort and seat 
a second suiximous to surrendt.r. The 
fort was crowded with troops that had 
been driven in from different points. 
Magaw asked four hours time, but was 
allowed only haU hour. A council of 
war decided that as their supply of water 
was cut off and the fort was incapable of 
defence, to surrender at discretion. 

During the final assault of the Hes- 
sians, in nearing the fort, Washington 
was a spectator from the heigtits op- 
posite and saw his soldiers bayonetted 
by the Hessians, infuriated by the stub- 
born resistance. It is said the sight 
drew tears to his eyes. The following 
description is by a German officer. 
When the half hour was up, the com- 
mander, Magaw, came himself, and his 
fate seemed hard to him. The ofBcer 
told him Gen, Knyphausen was 100 
paces off, and he should come with him, 
under his safe conduct, and see if he 
would give hioi better terms. But with- 



i7 
flut result. The men marched out be- 
tween a double lioe of greaadiers, gave 
up their yellow, blue and white banners, 
on which Knyphausen looked with dis- 
dain. The prisoners were not only 
matter of curiosity, but of abuse. Ac- 
cording to Graydon, "the term rebel, 
with ihe epithet "dammed" before it was 
the mildest they received." He narrates 
that when he was captured, outside of 
the fort, an offict:r rode up at full gallop 
and exclaimed : " Wnat! taking prisoners! 
Kill them, kill every man of them!" 
Graydon, taking off his hat and saying: 
"Sir, I put myself under your protec- 
tion;" his manner was softened at once. 
They were marched to New York, the 
story of the piison ship is too notorious 
to be repeated. There were some hum- 
erous incidents of course, one showing 
that they were not all Scotch-Irish at 
least. The enumeraliug- officer coming 
where ihe American officers were collect- 
ed, came upon "a little squat militia 
officer from York county," as described 
by Graydon. "You are an officer. Sir?" 
hesaid in aquestioning manner. "Yes," 
he answered. "Your rank, Sir?" With 
a significant smile, the reply was, "I am 
a Keppen." 

But before we go further there are one 
or two points to hi noted. It is evident 
that the rapidity of Howe's movement 
was a surprise. Even the day before the 
summons, that event seemed remote in 
Washington's mind. Plowe's extreme 
caution in attacking fortified positions, 
after his experience at Bunker Hill, as 
shown at Brooklyn and White Plains, 
seems to have left him. His movement 
on Fort Washington was made with a 
oeleiity, confidence, and directness not 



48 

iD keeping with his character. Graydon 
in his memoirs, publislied ia 1812, ex- 
pressed a surmise of treason, which has 
since become demonstrated fact by 
documents since discovered. The treason 
of Demont accounts for it. He was ad- 
jutant of Magaw's own regiment, and 
enjoyed his fullest confidence. He had 
been appointed by the Committee of 
Safety of Pennsylvania He was intel- 
ligent. He deserte^l to the British lines 
with complete plans and information in 
regard to every detail of the position, 
that enabled Howe to plan and execute 
his plans with absolute certninty, with 
theoverwhelminij; forces at his command, 
that Washington could not have looked 
for. Another question that arises is: 
Why Washington allowed himself to be 
over ruled iuto holding the post against 
his positive and expressed judgement? 
It must be borne in mind that, up to 
that time, Washington was limited in his 
powers as Commander-in-Chief, by a 
Committee of Congress and the Councils 
of War of his generals; and the latter 
were largely, though unconsciously, in- 
fluenced by the known and positively 
expressed views of Congress. One great 
compensation for these series of disasters 
was the early deposit of all military 
power, unreservedly in the hands of 
Washington. There is another little in- 
cident, not of hisih importance, but 
rather of romatic interest. In the little 
redoubt, where Knyphausen led his 
attack, there was a great lack of artillery- 
men — one now being required to do the 
work of four. 

John Corbin, of York County, at one 
of the guns was killed. His wife, Mar- 



49 

ga^'fi* Coxbiu,- by his siie,- h^lpad to- 
serve the gun, until she fell, struck 
by three grape shot. Her services and 
heroism were recognized at once by 
the State, and by Congress. 

The fort, renamed Fort Knyphausen, 
in honor of its captor, was repossessed 
by the Americans Nov. 25, 1783. In 
England amid their rejoicing they did 
not conceal their admiration for the 
defender. One newspaper said of the 
defense that "It was conducted with 
infinite spirit by Col. Magav/;" an- 
other that "Col. Magaw made offer of 
capitulation under fire of the cannon, 
with a musquet of each other, mutual- 
ly agreeing that a gun should not be 
discharged." To be sure there were 
parvanimoiis ones who founld their 
opportunity to speak otherv/ise. Thus 
one "who had long admired the mar- 
tial spirit of the Americans" "highly 
applauds their new invention of de- 
fending their strongholds to the last 
extremity, by laying down their arms." 
This he thinks an improvement in the 
art of war. But among his country- 
men his bravery had never been ques- 
tioned. 

Judge Steele, in concluding his ad- 
dress at the dedication of the monu- 
ment at the site of the fort, Nov. 16, 
1901, said: "The most gallant figure 
of the Revolution, to my mind, is 
Colonel Magaw; and I say that, well 
remembering Putnam and Warren at 
Bunker Hill, and Anthony Wayne at 
Stony Point, anki Alexander Hamilton 
at Yorktown. But Colonel Magaw 
held the fort here against overwhelm- 
ing -otitJa and. egaiinHt a mire ffefteat. 



5,0 

Culcjial Miigav/.to my mtad, £i^irul3 
out as the sublime personal hero of 
the Revolution." 

Prisoner on Long IsSand — Marriage — 
Exchange 

But to return to 'our hero, Magaw 
and the other cfncers v/ere sent to 
Lorg Island, Platbush, Gravesend and 
other places, where they were allowed 
many privileges and enjoyed as raucli 
of life as their condition as prisoners 
would allow. Obstacles continually 
arose to their exchange. Gray don we 1 
gives ■vent to their longings for lib- 
erty and home and restoration to their 
places in the army. Even threats of 
seniding them to England had some- 
thing of relief in them. Still as the 
months and years rolled on they be- 
gan to be at home among the proud 
old Dutch families, that talked Knick- 
erbocker Dutch, and held their heads 
high. Col. Magow in the meantime 
became intimate in the family of Rut- 
gert Van Brunt, a prominent citizen, 
for several years sheriff of the county, 
a colonel in the militia, and member 
of the New York Assembly, who lived 
on his farm near Gravesend, Long 
Island. His daughter Maretje (Mar- 
ritie, Marietta) a prepossessing, well 
educated young lady, a brilliant con- 
versationalist, and patriotic with all, — 
well — in short she became Mrs. Col- 
onel Magow, April 1779, at the age of 
17, and at the time was regarded as 
one of the handsomest women on Long 
Island. He was not exchanged until 
more tbatk a/ yeaj iatfer, aa tlye follow^ 



in^ traii^cjiBt cl the daauntaat sh.oiVf^, 
which also included his friend and 
fellow townsman Gen. Wm. Thomp- 
son: — "I Joshua Loring, Esq., British 
Commissary of Prisoners do certify 
for and in behalf of his Excellency 
Sir Henry Clinton, that Brigadier 
General Thompson, Col. Magaw and 
Lieut. Laurens, American prisoners of 
war, are exchanged by composition 
according to the tariff or valuation 
settled and adjudged as reasonable by 
the Commissioners British and Amer- 
ican at the last meeting held at Am- 
boy in March, 17S0, against Major 
General Riedesel, of the Brunswick 
troops of the Convention of Sara- 
toga 25th Cct., 1780." Col. Magaw did 
not re-enter the army though eager 
to do so. In a letter urging his claims 
he writes: "As the commissions I had 
the honor to bear were unsolicited on 
my part, and the motives to act under 
them solely the good of my country; 
if my services shall be deemed further 
necessary for that purpose, shall con- 
tinue in the army, provided the rank 
I am now entitled to, is secured. 
Otherwise in Case of an Exchange 
shall return to my former profession 
with a firm determination that when- 
ever the liberties of my country shall 
call for my mite, my life and property 
shall be devoted to do its service — 
independent of rank or other circum- 
stance." He was, during his captivity, 
m.ade Colonel of the Sixth Pennsyl- 
vania Line, from which he was re- 
tireid, at his request, Jan. 1, 1781. As 
Graydon says: "As to officers all the 
regiments wBXe not xmiy complete b^tt 



52" 

cverfidyin^r and iipsaa tiie ra-crgaiii-. 
zation of the army ttere were a great 
many supernumeraries. Of this de- 
scription those who were taken at 
Fort Washington emphatically were. 
They were (considered as extinct, and 
their places had been supplied by 
others." "It was evident that a re- 
instatement in the rank to which they 
were entitled by seniority was not to 
be effected without extreme embar- 
rassment and injury to the service." 

Return to Carlisle 

Col. Magaw and his wife, therefore, 
on his exchange, removed to their 
home in Carlisle, and tradition has it 
that she was the life of that coterie 
of women which made the town's so- 
ciety so delightful. V/hilst he re-ac- 
quired a large practice in his profjr- 
sion he took a leading interest in 
everything relating to town and the 
county. He organized a military com- 
pany. He was a member of the Legis- 
lature. 

In the grant by the Penns of the 
lot of ground on Pomfret street, on 
v/hich was erected the so-called "Old 
College," now occupied by the Ham- 
ilton School House, to Trustees for a 
Grammar School, Magow's name ap- 
pears among the Trustees. He was 
one of the original members of the 
Board of Trustees of Dickinson Col- 
lege. As to his church relations there 
is nothing very definite. Dr. Wing in 
his very complete and interesting 
"History of the First Presbyterian 
Church in Caarli^e;" wljlch is in fact 



53 

a kl^Lory p| early Presbyterlauism 
west of the Susquehanna, gives sketch- 
es of many prominent men of that 
period among them Magaw, and re- 
marks, "These men were nearly all 
connected with the Presbyterian con- 
gregations in Carlisle" and in another 
place, in the list of contributors to 
Rsv. Steele's church, about 1773, the 
name of Robert Magaw is found; to 
these facts may be added the other 
that at his burial a discourse was de- 
livered by the Rev. Dr. Davidson, Pas- 
tor of the First Presbyterian Church; 
so that it is probable that he was con- 
nected with that church. A fact that 
might suggest a 'iiiferent churich con- 
nection, recently called to my atten- 
tion, is that v/hea he was taken seri- 
ously ill, shortly after the surrender, 
whilst a prisoner in New York, he 
was visited by Rev. Charles Ing'lis 
(Episcopal-Trinity Parish) who, Dec. 
8, 1776, wrote that he was acquainted 
with the Colonel, adding: "He is now 
recovering and I flatter myself, past 
danger." 

His characteristic signature appears 
as a witness to the first contract for 
the building of the Old Stone Church 
on the square — 1769 — , but as the con- 
tract is in his handwriting, he may 
have simply acted as attorney in the 
case. 

As an evidence of active interest in 
purely social matters is the appear- 
ance of his bold signature, almost at 
the head of the list, containing many 
other prominent names of subscribers 
to the Rules and Regulations of the 
E>anx>ing Assembly ot the to"wa. On.e 



54 ■ 

lin.e, almost completely erased, how- 
ever, limits the age under which a 
lady may not be invited. In Philadel- 
phia Assembly it is 18, I believe. But 
we have seen Marrlttie Van Brunt was 
married at 17. 

He resided in the house on the 
southeast corner of the Square, on 
Hanover street, and also owned the 
house adjoining on the south. The 
latter is interesting as having been 
occupied by Washington during the 
■\Vhiskey Insurrection, as it happened 
to be unoccupied at that time. He 
took his meals, however, at a house, 
liow Franklin House, on the opposite 
side of the street. Dr. Nisbet, the 
President of the College, also occupied 
it for a short time. On the ma.p of 
Ca.rlisle, by Judge Creigh, in 1764, lot 
No. 210, on the south side of East 
Pomfret street, is marked "R. Magaw." 
It does not follow that this lot was in 
his possession in 1764, as the name 
might have been inserted after that 
date. He also had a plantation near 
the town. 

Death— Burial in tlie "Old Graveyard" 

His death occurred suddenly, Jan. 
6th, 1790, at the early age of 52 years. 
It affected greatly the whole commun- 
ity. He was described as an eminent 
attorney, and an amiable and benevo- 
lent gentleman; that by a singular 
felicity he lived and died without a 
foe. His funeral has been described 
in several aocounts, but in a general 
v;ay, so that I have taken pains to 
'get the full aocoruttt from what I b^- 



55- 

li-ays to b^ ihe only capy oi Kime's 
Carlisle Gazette of Jan, 13, 1790, and 
give it without correction of typo- 
graphical or other errors, as it is 
sometimes inisquoted, and has an im- 
portant bearing on the determination 
of his unmarked place of burial. 

Carlisle, Jan. 13. 
On Wednesday evening last the re- 
mains of the late Robert Magav/, Esq. 
was entered at the burial place near 
this town. The funeral was perhaps 
the most respectable ever seen here. 
The following was the order of pro- 
cession : 

Troop of horse dismounted, 

Music, 

Corps of Infantry, lately commanded 

by Col. Magaw, 

Clergy, 

Physicians 

The Eody — Pall supported by six 

Gentlemen, late Officers of 

the American Army 

Trustees and Faculty of Dickinson 

College, 

Justices of the Court of Common Pleas, 

Attorneys at Laws, 

Students of Dickinson College 

Officers of the County, and Prinicipal 

Officers of the Borough of Carlisle 

Citizens 
Minute guns were fired by the Ar- 
tillery during the procession. At the 
grave a pathetic discourse was deliv- 
ered by the Rev. Doctor Davidson. 
Three vollies from the Infantry closed 
the scene." 

His grave is unmarked, and the ex- 
pression "burial place near this 
town" is not •de.finite. It has been in- 



tsipratad, ia comparatively raoaat 
years to mean "Meeting House Springs 
Graveyard," about two miles west of 
Carlisle. There is, however, nothing 
in the records, traditions or history, 
or family associations to suggest it as 
the burial place of Colonel Magaw. 
It was first suggested, rather incident- 
ally by Hon. J. B. Linn, a high author- 
ity on facts of Pennsylvania history. 
In a.n article on Magaw, in 1S73, he 
says, "The date of his death is un- 
known and no tombstone marks his 
grave." But in a subsequent article, 
five years later, he writes, "He died 
Jan. 7, 1790, and is buried in Meeting 
House Springs Graveyard, two miles 
west of Carlisle." V/hilst he quotes 
freely from the account, just given, 
from Kline's Gazette, he does not quote 
the descriptive words "burial pla.ce 
near this town," but substitutes his 
interpretation, uoubtless as giving 
fu'ler information. On careful con- 
sideration of all the circumstances it 
seems probable, indeed practically cer- 
tain, that the so-called old graveyard 
at Carlisle, was meant. It could not 
have been better described at that 
time than as "near this town." The 
lot was given to the town for burial 
purposes shortly after it was laid out. 
It was outside the limits of the town. 
At the time of the burial of Col. Magaw 
it was separated from the town, which 
consisted largely of two main streets, 
by unimproved lots, and it was the 
general burying ground for the town. 
Gen. Wm. Thompson, Magaw's warm, 
personal friend and former Colonel, 
aaid- whose executor Magaw was, tefn 



57' 

years fcefGre, was brought f-rcm his 
place, "Soldiers' Retreat," four miles 
west of Carlisle, and lies in a well- 
marked grave in the old graveyard, 
then near, now in the Borough limits 
of Carlisle. On the other hand, the 
Meeting House Spring graveyard was 
attached to one of the oldest Presby- 
terian Churches west of the Susque- 
hanna, older than Carlisle. The church, 
the exact site of which is now uncer- 
tain, was abandoned by the congrega- 
tion ^'before 1760 for a meeting house 
in Carlisle, which was subsequently 
abandoned for the Old Stone Church 
erected on the Square. The burying 
ground in connection with the church, 
grew rapidly into disuse, except 'by 
some of the older families, who had 
plots there, and by the time we are 
considering, 1790 was practically aban- 
doned. At the time when Magaw 
settled in the county the church was 
abandoned, and his wife was from 
Long Island so that there were no 
family considerations why he should 
have been burled apart from those 
among whom he had lived and by 
whom he was so highly esteemed. 

But another consideration would al- 
most decide the inapplicability of the 
word "near" in that connection to| 
Meeting House Springs. The large 
funeral procession, in which all class- 
es took part, for most part on foot, 
could hardly have gone four miles, 
there and back, in midwinter over a 
rough road, and have listened to a 
funeral discourse at the grave. Taking 
it all in all, therefore, I think we are 
justified in saying that the heroic de- 



5.8 

for.der cf Fort T/ashinjrt&n reSta in 
our Old Graveyard, where rest many 
other worthies of our country. That 
his grave should be unimarked is not 
as exceptional as it may seem. Little 
attention seems to have been given to 
preservation of such records. There 
are doubtless many other unmarked 
graves there. Even Ephraim Blaine, 
v/hose descendants continued to live 
in Carlisle, lies in an unmarked grave 
in an unknown place. 

The, executors named in his v/ill, 
dated Nov. 29, 1789. were Marietta 
Magaw, Rutgert Van Brunt, George 
Cavenhoven, Samuel Laird and James 
Piami;ton. 

Cliildi'en 

Col. Magaw's Long Island wife. 
Marietta, as he calls her, died in Car- 
lisle, April 15th, 1803. 

They had two children: Elizabeth 
Magow, born Jan. 8th, 1780, and Van 
Brunt Magow, born Sept. 2nd, 17,83. 
Elizabeth married Peter McCarthy, 
who, in spite of his name, was a 
Dutchman, or conversed in Dutch. 
She died in 1808 of yellow fever. They 
had children; among their descend- 
ants is Professor Fitzgerald Tisdall, 
who represented the family at the 
dedication of the monument. Van 
Brunt Magaw, inherited Gravesend, 
married Adrianna Voorkees, and 
settled down to the life of a farmer. 
They also had issue. He died in 1831. 
The purpose in this paper has been 
not so much to give purely biograph- 
ical data, but to present, in a neces- 
eariiy hurried manner the salient 



59. 

paints in-.tlie history of- one -af wliom 
our country may well be proud, that 
portray as much as possible of the 
man as a citizen, a patriot, and a 
soldier, and incidentally afford 
glimpses at the environment and 
spirit of the time in which he lived. 

The effort has been to give data 
that are accurate, and to correct some 
prevalent errors, but I am fully aware 
that there may be lurking among my 
statements some that fuller inves- 
tigation imay correct. 

I would particularly emphasize, 
however, the fast of considerable local 
interest, that the burial place of Col. 
Magaw is, with little question, our 
Old Graveyard. 

Refercisces 

As fources of information, besides 
the standard histories, I would refer 
particularly, the "History of the De- 
fense and Reduction of Mount Wash- 
ington," by Reginald Pelham Bolton; 
"Graydon's Memoirs;" "Capture of 
Mount V/ashington," by E. F. de Lan- 
cey; "The Bergen Family," by Tennis 
G. Bergen; "History of Cumberland 
County, Pennsylvania," by Rev. Con- 
way P. Wing, D. D. But I have relied 
in the last resort for verification or 
correction of data upon original docu- 
ments and correspondence, and par- 
ticularly upon historical contributions 
of the Rev. Joseph A. Murray, D. D., 
who rescued many documents relating 
to Magaw and others as Linn says, 
"from the maw of the paper mill." 

In preparing the manuscript for 



60 

publication, opportunity has baen 
taken to give, in some cases, more 
fully, what was necessarily abridged 
by reason of the time limit of a paper. 



